IKEA Is Removing All Non-Rechargeable Alkaline Batteries by Next Year
In an effort to promote sustainability, today IKEA announced that it will be removing all non-rechargeable alkaline batteries from all of its stores globally by October 2021. With the removal of these batteries, the Swedish home retailer hopes that customers will make the switch to rechargeable batteries, which would help reduce waste.
How would the switch to rechargeable batteries help the environment? In a news release, IKEA cites studies showing that alkaline batteries have a higher environmental impact than rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries (NiHM) when used in household devices that have a high energy consumption like toys, flashlights, cameras and portable speakers.
Last year, IKEA says it sold about 300 million alkaline batteries globally. So, if every IKEA customer swapped their Alkalisk alkaline batteries with Ladda rechargeable batteries and charged them 50 times, the retailer estimates that it could reduce global wasted by 5,000 tons annually. And making the switch to the rechargeable batteries could reduce even more waste since one Ladda battery can be recharged 500 times.
"We are on a journey to inspire and enable people to live healthier and more sustainable lives within the boundaries of the planet," Sustainability Development Manager at IKEA Range & Supply Caroline Reid said in the news release. "By phasing out alkaline batteries and focusing on our range of rechargeable batteries, we are taking one step on that journey – offering customers an affordable and convenient solution to prolong the life of products and materials and reduce waste."
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